Best Time to Drive from Oakland to Santa Clara

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via I-880 South, usually 49 at this time.

Only 58% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Oakland to Santa Clara by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	47	67	76	66	55	50	50	47	52	53	56	59	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	49	74	86	74	59	51	48	47	53	54	60	65	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	48	77	84	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	68	59	46	40	40
Thu	38	48	74	82	72	59	51	48	47	55	55	63	68	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	46	54	56	53	49	48	48	50	56	59	64	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	49	49	50	51	52	53	50	46	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	46	46	46	46	46	47	46	43	43	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Oakland to Santa Clara (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Oakland (Broadway) to central Santa Clara (Lincoln Street) along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Oakland to Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Oakland to Santa Clara?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (35 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clara to Oakland (return trip) · Oakland to San Jose · Oakland to Palo Alto · Oakland to Fremont · Oakland to Walnut Creek · Oakland to San Mateo · Oakland to Hayward · Oakland to Mountain View · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento · Oakland to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	47	67	76	66	55	50	50	47	52	53	56	59	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	49	74	86	74	59	51	48	47	53	54	60	65	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	48	77	84	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	68	59	46	40	40
Thu	38	48	74	82	72	59	51	48	47	55	55	63	68	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	46	54	56	53	49	48	48	50	56	59	64	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	49	49	50	51	52	53	50	46	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	46	46	46	46	46	47	46	43	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	47	67	76	66	55	50	50	47	52	53	56	59	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	49	74	86	74	59	51	48	47	53	54	60	65	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	48	77	84	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	68	59	46	40	40
Thu	38	48	74	82	72	59	51	48	47	55	55	63	68	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	46	54	56	53	49	48	48	50	56	59	64	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	49	49	50	51	52	53	50	46	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	46	46	46	46	46	47	46	43	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	47	67	76	66	55	50	50	47	52	53	56	59	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	49	74	86	74	59	51	48	47	53	54	60	65	59	44	40	40
Wed	38	48	77	84	73	58	51	48	47	53	55	61	68	59	46	40	40
Thu	38	48	74	82	72	59	51	48	47	55	55	63	68	61	47	40	40
Fri	39	46	54	56	53	49	48	48	50	56	59	64	62	56	46	41	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	49	49	50	51	52	53	50	46	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	46	46	46	46	46	47	46	43	43	40